UK retail sales rebound in June on Euros boost

LONDON: UK retail sales rebounded in June, with food and drink purchases lifted as football fans enjoyed the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, official data showed Friday.

Retail sales climbed 0.5 percent from May, when they had dropped, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.

"June's retail sales have picked up again following the dip seen last month, with the main driver coming from food and drink sales, boosted by football fans across Britain enjoying the Euros," noted Darren Morgan, ONS director of economic statistics.

England, Scotland and Wales all participated at the Euros that took part across Europe.

The final in London saw England lose to Italy.

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Food store sales jumped 4.2 percent in June, offsetting a 1.7-percent drop in non-food purchases, the ONS said Friday.

By the start of the Euros, most lockdown restrictions had been lifted across much of the UK, helping to lift also fuel sales in June.

Retail sales were up 9.5 percent when compared with February 2020, or just before the pandemic erupted in the UK, the ONS added.